Shockproof electromagnetic contactor having arc chute and blowout assembly and pivoted contact carriage means



May 12, 1964 c. w. KUHN ETAL 3,133,175

SHOCKPROOF ELECTROMAGNETIC CONTACTOR HAVING ARC CHUTE AND BLOWOUTASSEMBLY AND PIVOTED CONTACT CARRIAGE MEANS Filed Oct. 5, 1960 3Sheets-Sheet 1 May 12, 1964 c. w. KUHN ETAL 3,133,175

SHOCKPROOF ELECTROMAGNETIC CONTACTOR HAVING ARC CHUTE AND BLOWOUTASSEMBLY AND PIVOTED CONTACT CARRIAGE MEANS Filed Oct. 5, 1960 3Sheets-Sheet 2 I so so as so so I I 5 I 5a 4 32. as I f 2.80 z: |n mu mlll l II 21 so z a; a9 66 70 L9 5 33 all 35 33 65 y 1964 c. w. KUHN ETAL3,133,175

SHOCKFROOF ELECTROMAGNETIC CONTACTOR HAVING ARC CHUTE AND BLOWOUTASSEMBLY AND PIVOTED CONTACT CARRIAGE MEANS Filed Oct. 5, 1960 3Sheets-Sheet 5 United States Patent Ofilice 3,133,175 Patented May 12,1964 3,133,175 SHOCKPROOF ELECTROMAGNETIC CONTAC- TOR HAVING ARC CHUTEAND BLOWOUT ASSEMBLY AND PTVOTED CGNTACT CAR- RIAGE MEANS Clarence W.Kuhn, Whitefish Bay, and Theodore F. Rosing, Wauwatosa, Wis., assignorsto Cutier-Hammer, Inc, Milwaukee, Wis., a corporation of Delaware FiledGet. 5, 1960, Ser. No. 60,742 2 Claims. (Cl. 200-147) This inventionrelates to a shockproof electromagnetic switch designed for alternatingcurrent operation.

A primary object of the invention is to provide a highly compact switchfor use at relatively high voltages in the range of 2,000 to 5,000volts.

Another object is to provide such a switch in which the contacts may bequickly inspected and replaced if necessary.

The first object is accomplished by providing (1) a compact roller guideshockproof linkage construction and (2) encapsulated blow-out coilshaving physically smaller laminated wound cores producing the requiredblow-out field. The roller guide assembly requires less space thancommon shockproof linkages because of the rectilinear motion of thecontact carrying carriages and the fact that the roller support willcarry larger loads with smaller area as well as having low frictionoperation The cylindrically wound cores are easier to manufacture thanconventional cores. Their use also reduces the size of the coilconstruction and facilitates in manutacture.

Other objects and advantages will be pointed out in, or be apparent fromthe specification and claims, as will obvious modifications of thesingle embodiment shown in the drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side view of a shockproof contactor embodying theinvention with a portion broken away to show contact structure;

FIG. 2 is a top viewot only the contact carrying portion of thecontactor;

FIG, 3 is a sectional View taken along the line 3-3 of FIG. 2;,

FIG. 4 is a front elevational view of only the contact carrying portionof the contactor;

FIG. 5 is a view in side elevation of only the blow-out coil and arechute portion of the contactor;

FIG. 6 is a side view of a compact blow-out coil;

PEG. 7 is an end view of such blow-out coil; and

FIG. 8 is a perspective view or" a cylindrical laminated Wound core fora blow-out coil.

Referring to the drawings, the invention is shown embodied in ashockproof electromagnetic switch which has a contact carrying portion16 and a blow-out coil and are chute portion 15 both mounted on avertical frame 14; the contact carrying portion being mounted so that itmay be swung downward to expose the contacts for inspection andreplacement.

The blow-out coil and arc chute portion has an upper insulator arcattenuating section 10 of usual design including arc runners 11. Closelybelow the arc runners there is positioned a pair of blow-out coils 13wound on laminated cores 31 that are secured by bolts 19 passing throughan insulator panel 17. The panels 17 have openings 17a through which thecores project to make good magnetic connection with the pole plates 12.The blowout coil has been improved into a more compact structure. Thishas been accomplished by encapsulating the coil winding 25 with epoxyresin 27 or the like, and then coring a circular bore 29 in theinsulative resin through the inside of the coil winding 25. Thelaminated cylindrical wound core 31 (see FIG. 8}, formed by rolling astrip of suitable magnetic material, is inserted in the cylindricalbore. This core construction is much more compact than those ofconventional design which employ stackedplates to form the coil core.The present coil, because of its reduced size made possible by this newtype core, can be nested closely below the arc runners without having tounduly space the contact carrying assembly below the bottom of the arcchutes 10, or with out having the coil projecting outwardly to the frontor rear of the arc chutes. compactness is essential in many uses of thistype of shockproof switch, and the improved blow-out coil designcontributes to the overall size reduction of the present switch. Fluxfrom a front blow-out coil enters the pole piece and then passes intothe contact gap where it interacts with the flux produced by the arc toexert an upward force on the arc in the gap. The back blow-out coilcreates a similar field and these fields force the arc created uponcontact separation from the contacts to the arc runners 11 along the arcrunners and up into the arc chutes 10 so that the arc is attenuated andthereby extinguished.

The contact carlying portion 16 has pairs of opposed contacts 18, 20mounted on a shockproof linkage (described below) which is carried byspaced channel shaped horizontal frame members 32. The horizontal framemembers 32 are pivotally secured to the vertical frame 14 in a mannerdescribed in detail below. The contacts project upward into operativerelation with the blowout coil and arc chute portion of the contactor.

The shock proof linkage consists of identical and oppositely actingcarriage assemblies. One carriage assembly includes an E-shaped armature21 and one or more fixed contacts 18 fixed to a support plate 23 whichin turn is fixed to the upper flanges of channels 26, 26. Each of thechannels 26 ride on pairs of spaced rollers 28, 28 which rotate on bolts30 secured to the web of each of the horizontal frame members 32. Theother carriage assembly includes a like but oppositely displacedE-shaped armature 22 and one or more contacts 20 mounted on a supportplate 24 which in turn is fixed to the lower flanges of spaced apartchannels 29, 29. Each of the channels 29 ride on spaced rollers 31, 31whichrotate on bolts 30 secured to the webs of the horizontal framemembers 32. An encapsulated energizing coil 35 is secured to a mountingbracket 33 which is secured to the horizontal frame member 32, and eacharmature is positioned on its respective support plate so that itscenter leg 34 is attracted to the coil interior when the coil isenergized.

This arrangement results in a compact structure inasmuch as it permitsthe channels of each pair to overlap the carriage member to which theyare not attached thereby permitting the support rollers to be spacedapart the entire depth of the assembly thereby maximizing the supportspan without increasing the depth of the contactor. A link 40 is pivotedto each of the horizontal frame members 32 at the mid-portion 42 of thelink and has slotted ends 44 into which pins 46, which are fixed toadjacent channels 26 and 29 extend. The slotted ends of the linkaccommodate the lateral motion inherent in this linkage when theadjacent channels 26 and 29 move with respect to one another andmaintain an operative connection between the channels throughout suchmovement.

Thus, when a shock is exerted along the line of move ment of thecarriages, one carriage produces a clockwise force moment about thepivot point of the link, and the other carriage produces an equalcounterclockwise force moment with a resultant cancellation of theeffect of the shock force so that the carriages, and hence the contacts,remain in whatever position they occupied at the moment of the shock.Springs 48 normally bias the car- 55 riages apart, but when the coil isenergized the armatures are attracted and the springs are overcome.

Each contact is connected through a lead 50 to one end of a coil winding25 forming part of a blow-out coil 13. These leads are slack when thecoil is deenergized so that when the coil is energized the leads do notinhibit carriagetravel. The leads cormecting the front contacts 20 totheir blow-out coils are detachable for reasons ncxt described. It isoften desirable to inspect the main contacts 18, 20 and to this end, thehorizontal frame member 32 is pivoted to the vertical frame member 14 sothat the contact carrying portion of the contactor may be swung down toexpose the contacts. The horizontal frame member is normally supportedby two spaced bolts 72, 74 at the top and one bolt 75 at the bottom. Onetop bolt hole 76 communicates with an inclined slot 73 so that theentire contact carrying portion may be swung down by removing bottombolt '75 and loosening bolts 72 and 74. This is done on both sides ofthe symmetrical frame and detachable lead-s 50 are detached from thefront blow-out coil winding. The contact carrying portion is then freeto pivot on bolt 74, and bolt '72 slides to the end of slot 78 whichlimits the downswing of the contact carrying portion of the contactor.The horizontal frame is tapered adjacent to the vertical frame so thatit does not interfere with the downswing. This tapered portion may buttagainst the vertical frame and stop the downswing under certaintolerance conditions but, in any event, a stop on the downswing isprovided by either the bolt reaching the end of the slot or by thehorizontal frame butting against the vertical frame. Of course, the sameswingdown action is secured if the slot is placed adjacent a bolt holein the horizontal frame member.

Interlock switch mechanism 65, which forms no part of this invention, ofthe sliding engagement type for controlling auxiliary circuits isprovided with one movable actuator'bar fixed to one carriage through arm66 and another movable actuator similarly fixed to the other carriagethrough arm '70.

Although but one embodiment of the present invention has beenillustrated and described, it will be apparent to those skilled in theart that various changes and modifications may be made therein withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention or from the scope of theappended claims.

We claim:

1. The compact combination of a shockproof contact operating assemblyand an arc chute and blow-out assembly with the contact operatingassembly comprising a frame, a coil carried by said frame, a pair ofcarriages having contacts thereon and movable with respect to saidframe, each carriage including an armature in cooperation with saidcoil, the mass of one carriage being equivalent to the mass of the othercarriage, roller means between said carriages and said frame supportingsaid carriages, and linkage means interconnecting said carriages so thateach of said carriage masses opposes the other under shock, the arcchute and blow-out coil assembly being connected to said frame andcomprising arc chute means normally in operative relation to saidcontacts, a plurality of blowout coils each having its winding connectedto one of said contacts through a flexible conductor, said flexibleconductor being adapted for disconnection from said blow-out coilwinding, said frame being divided into horizontal and vertical portions,said horizontal portion carrying said roller assembly and said verticalportion carrying said are chute and blow-out assembly, and means forpivoting one of said portions away from the other portion whereby saidcontacts are exposed to facilitate contact inspection and replacement.

2. The combination according to claim 1 in which said pivoting meansincludes a pair of horizontally spaced bolt holes in said vertical frameportion and a single bolt hole vertically spaced from said pair of boltholes all in said vertical frame portion, said horizontal frameincluding a pair of horizontally spaced bolt holes and a bolt holespaced vertically therefrom, said bolt holes in said frame portionsbeing aligned and first, second and third bolts holding said frameportions when said contactor is in operative condition, and an inclinedslot in communication with the bolt hole in one of said frame portionsin which said first bolt is mounted whereby removal of said second boltfrom the bolt hole in which said second bolt is mounted permits one ofsaid frame members to pivot on said third bolt whereby said first boltslides in said inclined slot to permit pivotal motion of said frameportion.

References Cited in the file of this patent .UNITED STATES PATENTS

1. THE COMPACT COMBINATION OF A SHOCKPROOF CONTACT OPERATING ASSEMBLYAND AN ARC CHUTE AND BLOW-OUT ASSEMBLY WITH THE CONTACT OPERATINGASSEMBLY COMPRISING A FRAME, A COIL CARRIED BY SAID FRAME, A PAIR OFCARRIAGES HAVING CONTACTS THEREON AND MOVABLE WITH RESPECT TO SAIDFRAME, EACH CARRIAGE INCLUDING AN ARMATURE IN COOPERATION WITH SAIDCOIL, THE MASS OF ONE CARRIAGE BEING EQUIVALENT TO THE MASS OF THE OTHERCARRIAGE, ROLLER MEANS BETWEEN SAID CARRIAGES AND SAID FRAME SUPPORTINGSAID CARRIAGES, AND LINKAGE MEANS INTERCONNECTING SAID CARRIAGES SO THATEACH OF SAID CARRIAGE MASSES OPPOSES THE OTHER UNDER SHOCK, THE ARCCHUTE AND BLOW-OUT COIL ASSEMBLY BEING CONNECTED TO SAID FRAME ANDCOMPRISING ARC CHUTE MEANS NORMALLY IN OPERATIVE RELATION TO SAIDCONTACTS, A PLURALITY OF BLOWOUT COILS EACH HAVING ITS WINDING CONNECTEDTO ONE OF SAID CONTACTS THROUGH A FLEXIBLE CONDUCTOR, SAID FLEXIBLECONDUCTOR BEING ADAPTED FOR DISCONNECTION FROM SAID BLOW-OUT COILWINDING, SAID FRAME BEING DIVIDED INTO HORIZONTAL AND VERTICAL PORTIONS,SAID HORIZONTAL PORTION CARRYING SAID ROLLER ASSEMBLY AND SAID VERTICALPORTION CARRYING SAID ARC CHUTE AND BLOW-OUT ASSEMBLY, AND MEANS FORPIVOTING ONE OF SAID PORTIONS AWAY FROM THE OTHER PORTION WHEREBY SAIDCONTACTS ARE EXPOSED TO FACILITATE CONTACT INSPECTION AND REPLACEMENT.